Afterthoughts
by BitterSweetTeller
Summary: When the Star Trek version of the Matrix strikes at Bajor, it's up to the Prophets of Bajor and Voyager's crew to stop the Matrix for good. A sequel to A Wish Upon A Star. Rated K Plus for suggestive content and action.
1. Part 1: The Surface

Afterthoughts: A Deep Space Nine/Voyager Crossover

Part 1:

Side note: If you haven't seen the Deep Space Nine two parter What You Leave Behind, the Voyager episode Coda, the Voyager two parter Scorpion, and my Voyager fanfiction A Wish Upon A Star, please do before reading this fanfiction. It'll make more sense this way...since this is after that fanfiction and those episodes.

Captain Benjamin Sisko the prophet was sitting at Quark's, with Sarah sitting next to him and Quark standing behind the counter. Sisko wondered, "what is my task?"

The being that looked like Quark said, "to begin the Joining."

The being that looked like Sarah added, "to close the door…to the Matrix."

Sisko realized, "you mean the alien that captain Janeway faced near death from…after a shuttle crash?"

The being that looked like Sarah went on, "the Matrix has forced its way into the Celestial Temple…and yet hasn't."

The being that looked like Quark added, "only through the Joining can the Matrix be closed."

Sisko wondered, "do these beings have a name?"

The being that looked like Sarah added, "they are pah-demons…cousins of the pah-wraiths."

In the Delta Quadrant, in another time…

Chakotay was saying, "personal log, stardate 51842.2. After a few weeks, Kellin has been making significant progress as a new member of the crew. And with her people out of communications range, Kellin has been slowly working her way to overcoming her grief. Aside from that, she has been adjusting to life on Voyager quite well. From seeing Kellin's smiling face, it's hard to tell that she has been having a hard time at all…her conversations with me has proven otherwise." He was in his quarters, when Kellin in a yellow Starfleet uniform walked in. Chakotay said, "hello, Kellin. How was…?"

Kellin sighed as she sat down on a gray chair next to him, "Beta Squad training is exhausting…and I could certainly go for some ice cream right now."

Chakotay added, "without Neelix's cooking?"

Kellin concluded, "no, but I know you could."

Chakotay revealed, "sometimes…but he means well. Truth be told, it wouldn't be much of a crew without Neelix."

Kellin figured as she got up from the chair, "tell me more."

Chakotay pointed out, "he's also an adviser to the captain…and a morale officer. Neelix even had a special friend with him…but she left."

Kellin wondered, "why?"

Chakotay concluded, "Kes became too powerful for Voyager to handle…so she left to protect us."

Kellin pointed out, "but I thought Voyager has faced the impossible before."

Chakotay sighed, "unfortunately, we didn't have enough time or resources to think of an alternative."

Kellin turned to Chakotay, "I feel sorry for Neelix."

Chakotay assured her, "it's not anyone's fault. Kes just…evolved."

Kellin added, "least I'm not going anywhere."

Chakotay realized, "and neither is the resistance…thanks to you."

Kellin chuckled a little, "all I did was send schematics of Tracer ships back to Ramura through their news programs."

Chakotay concluded, "and the other Tracers are probably in for a hard time. I'm proud of you." He kissed Kellin passionately, with both of their arms around each other.

Then, the familiar voice of Janeway on their combadges said, "senior officers, report to the briefing room."

Chakotay concluded, "duty calls. You're going to be fine?"

Kellin assured him, "don't worry about me. I can get my own food." Chakotay smiled as he left his quarters. Soon after, Kellin left Chakotay's quarters.

A short while later…

Tuvok, Chakotay, Kim, B'Elanna, Tom, Seven, and Janeway were in the briefing room. Janeway had up on the computer screen a display of a big dark red spot in the midst of outer space, with a whitish glow around it. Janeway pointed out, "this anomaly is no ordinary anomaly. This is the Matrix."

Chakotay realized, "but you met an alien from the Matrix a year ago."

Kim added, "Species 8472 lives in an extra-dimensional realm…and they came into this quadrant with quantum singularities."

Seven concluded, "a relevant example."

Kim said, "thanks."

Janeway went on, "the point is…that this could be our only chance to stop the Matrix from feeding on more consciousnesses. I suggest we take it."

Seven realized, "consciousnesses are thought by some species to be just as relevant as physical bodies."

Janeway figured, "true. And since the Matrix houses non-corporeal life, the only problem would be finding a means to get inside and shut it down."

Tom added, "actually, that's two problems."

Janeway concluded, "thank you, Tom. Seven, any ships or alien life around this area of space?"

Seven added, "there are ten Borg ships coming to our location. They should be here in a few hours."

B'Elanna asked, "why didn't you…?"

Seven concluded, "I just did."

Janeway wondered, "anything else we should know about, Seven?"

Seven concluded, "there's a primitive civilization on a planet seven light years away and a asteroid field around it. That's all the irrelevant and relevant data around our location."

Tuvok concluded, "since the Matrix and the aliens inside the Matrix are telepathic and non-corporeal in nature, it is logical to assume that they or the Matrix will attack us mentally. What we would need is telepathic protection."

Seven figured, "Borg implants could be sufficient for channeling out outside telepathic communication."

B'Elanna objected, "but with most of your Borg implants gone, it would take considerable time to build or replicate them for the entire crew."

Janeway concluded, "then it's a good thing that the Borg want the Matrix this badly."

Chakotay turned to her, "captain?"

Janeway decided, "we're going to join forces with the Borg…again."


	2. Part 2: The Doubts

Afterthoughts: A Deep Space Nine/Voyager Crossover

Part 2:

B'Elanna tried to point out, "but captain, we…!"

Janeway said, "that'll be all, B'Elanna. Dismissed." All but Chakotay and Janeway left the briefing room. Janeway concluded, "I'm guessing we're back to you telling me that working with the Borg is a hell of an idea. And as much as I respect that..."

Chakotay sighed, "true, but it's hard to make a deal with the Borg…when you don't have something to give back to the Borg. Kathryn, unless you know something I don't..."

Janeway pointed out, "oh, I do. You remember Kes and her telepathic senses?"

Chakotay figured, "Kes has returned to give us a warning of the future?"

Janeway sighed, "I don't know…but whatever it was, it was showing a possibility that the Borg alone won't be successful in shutting down the Matrix."

Chakotay reasoned, "or it could be a mental attack from the Matrix."

Janeway insisted, "but it didn't feel like an attack."

Chakotay reasoned, "either way, I think you should have the doctor examine you."

Janeway added, "very well. If I'm under attack from the Matrix, we'll find out soon enough."

A while later…

Janeway came to Sick Bay. She saw the EMH doctor and Tom examining and treating many crewmembers. Sick Bay was full of violently coughing crewmembers. The EMH doctor concluded, "the throbbing in the neck has stopped, but it's not permanent. It will resurface if we don't…"

Tom urged, "but we already gave them more than enough Cordrazine to…"

The EMH interrupted, "then we'll have to try a wide dispersal Thoron pulse. Computer, emit a thoron pulse throughout Sick Bay."

Tom concluded, "don't have to tell me twice. Captain?"

Janeway assured him, "it could wait."

The EMH concluded, "computer, deactivate Emergency Medical Holographic program." Janeway and Tom walked out of Sick Bay, as yellow Thoron pulses shot across the room like little flying pinballs. Soon after, the crewmembers in Sick Bay were coughing less violently. The EMH then returned to the room. He said, "ahh. All better, I see?" The EMH examined them with a tricorder.

One of the crewmembers in Sick Bay said, "thank you."

The EMH concluded, "you're welcome. It's safe to come in now." Janeway and Tom came back into Sick Bay. The EMH kept going, "no more entities in your cerebral cortex. You are fit to return to duty." A little shaken, the random crewmembers in Sick Bay left one by one.

Tom turned to Janeway, "so, what was it you wanted to see the doctor about?"

Janeway concluded, "I think I had a telepathic experience. I can't explain why, but it was pretty convincing."

Tom realized, "does this have to do with the Borg?"

Janeway wondered, "how'd you…?"

The EMH turned to them, "so, what's going on…besides finally getting some respect from my patients?"

Janeway figured, "good to see you too, doctor. I recently had a telepathic experience…in the briefing room." The EMH did some tricorder scans on Janeway.

The EMH realized, "remarkable. You have unusual neural activity up to 5 percent, but nothing too serious. If you feel any dizziness though, it might be becoming serious."

Janeway figured, "thank you, doctor. That'll be all." And with that, she left.

Tom turned to the EMH, "well, that's a relief."

The EMH wondered, "did I miss something?"

Tom pointed out, "the captain said that we're going to work with the Borg again. And there are rumors starting to go around that the Matrix has started to misguide the captain. Some of the crew is even talking about mutiny."

The EMH assured him, "I can assure you that the captain doesn't have an entity in her cerebral cortex…and that therefore she's not compromised."

Tom asked, "permission to leave Sick Bay, doctor?"

The EMH concluded, "granted. I'll let you know if I get anymore Matrix victims."

Meanwhile, in the Matrix…

Sisko and the other prophets were shooting blue energy blasts at the blackish red ghost like beings that floated in the dark red extra-dimensional realm that was the Matrix. There were many bodies, unconscious and floating in the dark red gaseous air. Some were Borg, some were Kazon, some were Hirogen, some were Bajoran, and some were races in between. The blackish red ghost like beings shot bright white energy blasts at the prophets. One of them said, "you may border life and death, but you can't escape your fate."

Sisko added, "what do you know about fate? Nothing…because you're nothing but parasites!"

Another blackish red ghost like being concluded, "the Joining won't succeed. Your souls alone will be enough to sustain us for centuries."

Another prophet added, "the Joining will go on! It starts…even now."

A third blackish red ghost like being deduced, "go ahead…send your visions. It won't matter…cause you've just walked into a trap." Suddenly, shockwaves of dark red energy waves hit the prophets, knocking their non-corporeal bodies towards the edge of the extra-dimensional realm of the Matrix.

Sisko called out, "no!"

One of the Prophets urged, "you're our last hope…Emissary." Many prophets fell through the anomaly, and disappeared from sight. Sisko and the few prophets left left the anomaly in a hurry, dodging dark red energy waves and blasts while firing back at the blackish red ghost like beings. Many blackish red ghost like beings exploded in the Matrix, but many remained. The floating bodies shook as the Matrix drained their life force even more so than usual. But, before they could set forth a shockwave that would hit the remaining prophets, the remaining prophets themselves had disappeared from sight.

One of the blackish red ghost like beings muttered, "stubborn prophets!"

Another of the blackish red ghost like beings asked, "what if the Joining...?"

The first blackish red ghost like being assured them, "it won't…not as long as we do something about it. This is more than just nourishment…this is war."


	3. Part 3: The Ripples

Afterthoughts: A Deep Space Nine/Voyager Crossover

Part 3:

Back in the Delta Quadrant, on Voyager…

Chakotay concluded in his quarters, "personal log, supplemental. The crew is holding up well, all things considered. After all, we're teaming up with the Borg to take down the Matrix. I honestly don't know what's worse: Having to face the Borg like this, or the vision from Captain Janeway that points out that we should. Least we had the sense to send the former Borg drone Seven to a Borg cube to make things easier…but I still have a bad feeling about all of this. Then of course there's Kellin…who was eager for a security mission. Her Borg nanoprobes and her experience with authoritarianistic governments made her ideal for accompanying Seven. It was a reasonable precaution. At this point though, I'm not sure whether to be happy for her or worried for her."

Meanwhile, on a Borg cube…

Seven and Kellin were escorted to a subjunction inside the enormous Borg Cube. Kellin looked like herself, except with her old clothes back on and a fake Borg eyepiece quickly assembled. It was really made out of some hollow metal from the replicator. One of the Borg drones asked, "we are Borg. Are you Borg?"

Kellin suggested, "irrelevant. Of course we are Borg."

Another Borg pointed out, "we don't recognize that Federation ship you come from as Borg."

Seven added, "it is a experimental cloaking device…obtained from the Sakari. It is easier to assimilate without initial fear of us."

The first Borg concluded, "very sufficient indeed. Any problems with it?"

Kellin concluded, "unfortunately, it is not sufficient enough. Whenever we get close to a star, the solar radiation interferes with the cloak. We are working on improving it."

The second Borg figured, "so it will be ready to be produced and distributed within a week."

Seven insisted, "that would be sufficient. The present situation though requires that we have an exchange."

The first Borg figured, "elaborate."

Kellin suggested, "we get your latest neuro-modules for telepathic protection from the Matrix, and we give you our studies on the Matrix."

The second Borg reasoned, "we will look at your studies, but you should have enough neuro-modules by now."

Seven went on, "our regeneration matrix was damaged in our previous encounter with the Matrix. We tried to bring back information from our deactivated drones, but the Matrix almost destroyed us in the process. It took us a few weeks to get everything back up…and we are still insufficiently vulnerable to telepathy."

The first Borg figured, "we are Borg. You and the rest of your drones shall have our latest neuro-modules as soon as your vessel returns."

Kellin reasoned, "that would be sufficient."

A half hour later…

Chakotay, Janeway, Kim, Tuvok, and Tom were on the bridge of Voyager, with little dark blue implants placed carefully in their ears. The rest of the crew had these dark blue implants in their ears also…except for the EMH doctor, who was immune to telepathy anyway. Seven and Kellin were beamed back to Voyager, with help from the Borg lowering their regenerative shields to let them go back. Chakotay asked, "permission to check on Kellin?"

Janeway added, "granted. Just don't stay too long." Chakotay left the bridge to head to a certain transporter room.

A short while later, near a transporter room…

Seven made her way to the bridge, past Chakotay. Chakotay then saw Kellin coming out of the transporter room. She said, "Chakotay."

Chakotay added, "Kellin. What was it like…being on your first mission?"

Kellin concluded, "a refreshing change of pace…except it was kind of unnerving."

Chakotay urged, "but at least you put up with the Borg. The last time I dealt with the Borg, they threatened to assimilate us if I didn't give in to their demands."

Kellin wondered, "and then?"

Chakotay concluded, "when they were trying to help us, I…decompressed a shuttle bay on them."

Kellin concluded, "those must have been some demands."

Chakotay sighed, "actually, I was the one at fault. It was just a course correction…and I let my feelings for the Borg cloud my judgment. I realize that now, but I thought they were going to bring us to the Borg to be assimilated."

Kellin figured, "least you had good intentions. Before I met you, all I knew was being a Tracer."

Chakotay assured her, "you were just looking out for your people. You had good intentions too." He put a hand on Kellin's hand as he said this.

Kellin softly said, "thank you. Now you have to look out for your family." She kissed Chakotay's hand between sentences, before he moved it away.

Chakotay assured her, "I will. You'll be all right?"

Kellin assured him, "yeah. See you later." Chakotay and Kellin went their separate ways. Chakotay went up to the bridge, and Kellin went back to his quarters to relax.

Soon after…

Chakotay was back on the bridge. Janeway asked, "how's Seven and Kellin?"

Chakotay assured her, "the Borg ruse was a success. No new Borg implants were found...and no Borg threats were reported."

Janeway urged, "how's Voyager?"

Kim reported, "all primary systems are online."

Tuvok reported, "all security and tactical systems are online."

Janeway added, "then let's cheat death one more time."

Tom concluded, "aye, captain." Voyager was taken into the Matrix, with three Borg cubes in front of the ship like a moving wall. The other seven Borg cubes went ahead, into the dark red gaseous extra-dimensional realm.

Meanwhile, in white nothingness…

A prophet revealed, "the Joining…continues."

Sisko concluded, "I understand."

In the Matrix…

Shockwaves of dark red energy waves hit the seven Borg ships up ahead. Their regenerative shields went offline. Then, a swarm of blackish red ghost like beings bombarded them with dark red energy blasts. Some Borg cubes exploded. Some were barely active…and in the process of being regenerated at a slow rate. The remaining Borg cubes aimed their bright yellow missiles at the blackish red ghost like beings, but with no effect.

On the bridge of Voyager…

Janeway figured, "red alert. Ensign Kim, what's happening?" Red lights beeped across Voyager.

Kim revealed, "plasmatic energy readings are off the scale. With a few hits from those shockwaves, we won't survive."

Janeway asked, "B'Elanna, can you get the shields back up?"

B'Elanna reported over her combadge, "captain…even if I were to divert more power from impulse engines to the shields, it would only protect us by a second."

Chakotay turned to Janeway, "sounds like that's as good as it's going to get. Captain?"

Janeway suddenly awoke. She said, "sorry. I just had another telepathic experience. What was…?"

Chakotay pointed out, "we would only have shields for a second."

Janeway responded with a sigh, "then we'll have to cut it close. B'Elanna, prepare to put the shields back up on my mark."

B'Elanna responded, "aye, captain." On the viewscreen, the three Borg cubes in front of Voyager were seen. Seconds later, they were hit by another shockwave and another bombardment of dark red energy. All their shields went down, and they were knocked away from Voyager.

The blackish red ghost like beings called out, "our nourishment has come to us!"

Another blackish red ghost like being said, "time to give them a proper welcome."

Janeway ordered, "Tuvok…fire." Tuvok fired phasers and photon torpedoes at the blackish red ghost like beings, but with no effect. The swarm of blackish red ghost like beings spread out to Voyager and the remaining six Borg cubes, firing dark red energy blasts at all of them. Janeway added, "B'Elanna…shields up." The bridge rocked. Explosions and sparks sounded off across the bridge. Some of the crewmembers were knocked off their feet, unconscious.

Tuvok reported, "shields and weapons are…offline."

Kim reported, "decks nine through fourteen have been seriously hit! Emergency force fields are holding." Suddenly, across the ship, there was almost deafening feedback coming from the neuro-modules. The crew cried out in mental pain as they reactively clutched their heads. And then, all hell broke loose.


	4. Part 4: The Waves

Afterthoughts: A Deep Space Nine/Voyager Crossover

Part 4:

Across Voyager's fifteen decks, there was almost deafening feedback coming from the neuro-modules. The crew cried out in mental pain as they reactively clutched their heads. Then, all hell broke loose.

Seconds later…

Conduits exploded, with their remains aflame. Computers, the viewscreen, and the neuro-modules had gone offline from overloading. The only thing working on the ship was the lights and environmental controls. Chakotay, Tuvok, Kim, Kellin, Seven, and most of the crew were knocked off their feet. Seven was in the Astrometrics Lab at the time. Kellin was in a corridor when it happened, but got up shortly after with a groan. Chakotay, Kim, and Tuvok were on the bridge. Janeway and Tom had grabbed ahold of their chairs fast enough to avoid being knocked over by the impact of another shockwave of dark red energy.

Tom muttered, "talk about a bumpy ride. You all right back there?"

Chakotay groaned, "I will be." He uneasily got back up along with Kim and Tuvok, seeing smoke rising from aflame consoles and conduits.

Janeway commented, "which is more than I can say for Voyager. B'Elanna, Seven…you there? They're not…"

Tuvok was saying, "captain, our only logical course of…" Suddenly, Tuvok and Chakotay were beamed away. Kim got back up.

He asked, "what happened?" Janeway, with sadness and teary eyes, saw multiple crewmembers on the bridge and multiple broken neuro-modules on the floor.

The voice of her father inside her head urged, "if there was a rocky path and a smooth one, you'd pick the rocky one every time."

Janeway asked over her combadge, "doctor? No response."

Kim figured, "we got to get off Voyager."

The voice of Kim in Tom's head said, "and if I'm wrong…if this doesn't work…you'll be blown up right here."

Tom turned to him, "Harry, this ship is our only…!"

The voice of B'Elanna called out in Kim's head, "Harry!"

Kim sighed, "I don't mean permanently."

Janeway turned to him, "Harry, what are you suggesting?"

Kim suggested, "with the shuttles, we may have a fighting chance." Suddenly, Borg drones started beaming onboard Voyager. Tom punched one of them down.

He said as he did so, "we won't have a fighting chance if we don't get out of this alive!" Janeway wrestled with a Borg drone in an upright position, ramming it against the railing to knock it out. Kim took out a phaser and rammed it at a third Borg drone to knock it out onto the floor.

Janeway added, "right. Let's show the Borg we mean business...but keep the phasers on stun."

Tom added, "yes, ma'am." He, Kim, and Janeway climbed over the railing to avoid the incoming Borg drones. They ran to the side of the bridge, just as more Borg drones were beamed onto the bridge. One by one, the bodies on the bridge were starting to be infected by Borg assimilation tubules. Prepared for this, Janeway and Tom had taken out their phasers to fire on the Borg. Janeway, Tom, and Kim fired on as many Borg as they could…before they adapted with personal greenish shields. Each of their phasers was set on a different frequency, so it took until ten fallen Borg drones for the Borg to adapt to them. As they were taking out phasers, Tom pointed out, "but I thought they saw us as Borg."

Kim muttered as he started firing on the Borg, "not anymore. Their neuro-modules must've overloaded for ours to end up overloading."

Janeway added, "for all we know, they could be seeing us as Species 8472. They've adapted. This way!" She led Kim and Tom into a turbolift.

Kim sighed, "now what?"

Janeway suggested, "a human ladder should get that panel open." As they were talking, the remaining Borg drones turned to their unconscious and took away some their implants to beam back up to their vessel.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on Voyager…

Kellin and several other crewmembers with yellow uniforms that happened to be part of Beta Squad had gathered together to fire on incoming Borg drones with their phasers. Their phasers were at differing frequencies, so a bunch of Borg drones fell into unconsciousness before they adapted. Conduits and wall panels were either on fire or had a big hole held up by a bluish emergency force field. The lights were running on emergency power only. One of the Beta Squad members urged, "let's move!"

The voice of Curneth inside Kellin's head said, "I'm afraid I can't let that happen."

Kellin reported with help from a tricorder, "there's some strange neural activity in main Engineering…up ahead." Kellin and the rest of Beta Squad rammed their fists and elbows into the Borg drones they passed by, knocking them out. More Borg drones beamed in, only to see to their injured.

In Engineering…

B'Elanna had fired her phaser at some incoming blackish red ghost like beings, but with no effect. The rest of the engineers around her were unconscious, with fire surrounding Engineering and the warp core.

In B'Elanna's head was the voice of Tom saying, "don't you think you're overreacting a little bit?"

B'Elanna cried out in frustration and fear, blasting around the warp core without a second thought. It just went right through the blackish red ghost like beings. Suddenly, a coolant leak formed from where B'Elanna hit the warp core. B'Elanna cried out in tears, "no! I won't let you die!" She tried to set her phaser on a higher setting to weld the coolant leak shut, but one of the blackish red ghost like beings blasted her phaser to pieces with a dark red energy blast. B'Elanna was knocked backwards by the explosion, landing on the floor with a great big thud. She huffed with anger as she got up.

One of the blackish red ghost like beings tried to assure her, "it's not the end…just our nourishment." Not long after, Kellin and the other five members of Beta Squad came into Engineering.

One of the other members of Beta Squad asked, "what the hell?" The four blackish red ghost like beings in main Engineering blasted dark red energy blasts at the Beta Squad. Some of them fell to unconsciousness. Some tumbled out of range and got back up to aim phasers at the blackish red ghost like beings.

Kellin pointed out, "they're not physically here…just mentally."

B'Elanna called out, "get out…now!" She had picked up one of the phasers from the unconscious bodies of crewmembers, when a blast of coolant knocked the conscious crewmembers across Engineering.

Meanwhile, on a Borg cube…

Chakotay, Seven, and Tuvok were in Borg alcoves, with their physiology and mentality turning into that of the Borg. Voices echoed in their heads, "we are Borg. We will add your technological and biological distinctiveness to our own. Resistance is futile."

Seven thought, "I will not comply!"

Chakotay thought, "no thanks!"

Tuvok thought, "I am not Borg. I am…" He saw Voyager and a bunch of shuttles through a huge Borg viewscreen. The shuttles were firing at the somewhat vulnerable Borg cube, which led to rocking this Borg cube and many exploding Borg alcoves within it.

Back on Voyager, on a certain turbolift…

Janeway, Tom, and Kim were on top of the turbolift to the bridge. They had to crawl to get in between the turbolift shaft ceiling and the turbolift. Kim said, "I can barely keep my phaser out."

Janeway figured, "good. That means we can disengage this turbolift."

Sisko's voice assured her in her head, "you're running out of time, Kathryn."

Janeway asked, "who's there?"

Tom figured, "great. It's not just me."

Kim muttered, "if we are running out of time, then why don't we just disengage the turbolift?"

Sisko's voice added, "by then, it would be too late. We non-corporeal aliens can help you save your crew."

Janeway insisted, "if you're thinking that this will convince us to be part of your Matrix, you must be out of your minds. Harry, fire."

Kim suggested, "I've almost got it within range…but it'll be cutting it close."

Tom suggested, "captain…what if you're wrong?"

Janeway figured, "explain."

Tom pointed out, "first they were mocking us with the past…now they're trying to help us? It doesn't make sense."

Janeway added, "but they could be trying to trick us into their Matrix."

Tom went on, "do the voices even sound familiar anymore?"

Kim said, "I need to get the inertial dampener at an angle. Hold on."

Janeway realized, "wait! That's an order."

Kim wondered, "ma'am?"

Janeway concluded, "I saw this all end badly…from another telepathic experience. I didn't want to believe it…but it seems that the only way out is to trust these aliens in the back of our heads." Suddenly, a little blue wormhole opened up where Tom and Janeway were, with Engineering on the other side of it. Janeway crawled through the wormhole, then Tom.

Kim sighed, "I'll take her word for it." He crawled after them, right before the wormhole closed.

Back in Engineering…

Kellin called out, "don't you get it, B'Elanna?" She groaned as she started to get up, coughing. Kellin went on, "they're only real…for as long as…you think they are!"

B'Elanna sarcastically said between coughs, "that's…a big…help!" She ended up accidentally dropping the phaser she picked up. Then Tom, Janeway, and Kim tumbled into Engineering. B'Elanna figured, "we're…too…late!" Janeway, Tom, and Kim were not coughing though.

Janeway thought, "if you know a way to save my crew from the Matrix, tell me how!"

Sisko's voice assured her, "you're doing it right now. All you need is faith in the prophets." Suddenly, Janeway, Tom, Kellin, and Kim glowed with blue energy.

Tom figured, "let's take them down."

Kellin figured, "about time."

Janeway realized, "you can hear them too?"

Kellin pointed out, "obviously, captain…it's not just me." Tom, Kim, Kellin, and Janeway flew towards the blackish red ghost like beings that were firing at them. They dodged out of the way of random dark red energy blasts, using the leaking coolant as cover to sneak up on the blackish red ghost like beings with blue energy blasts.

One of the blackish red ghost like beings called out, "impossible!"

Sisko thought to Janeway, "hit them with all you got! The Joining…is complete."

Janeway muttered, "go back to hell!" The blackish red ghost like beings exploded from being hit by the blue energy blasts. Then, things began to change again.

Back on a certain Borg cube…

The Borg had two arrays of missiles at the moment. With a single thought, they could be shifted to the same direction as Voyager or the shuttles. A second later, they'd be launched. Tuvok closed his eyes, trying hard not to shed a tear. Tuvok muttered determinedly, "I am…Vulcan."

Chakotay urged, "fight it, Tuvok!"

Seven remarked, "free will will be sufficient!" In a split second, Tuvok decided.

He said, "a logical decision…when the other choices aren't beneficial." Tuvok, Seven, and Chakotay then glowed with blue energy…which seemed to melt their Borg implants into piles of black goop. A blue wormhole opened up, leading them into the Matrix. With blue energy blasts, Chakotay, Seven, and Tuvok blasted the missiles before they could reach either Voyager or the Federation shuttles.

Chakotay urged, "together…we'll resist."

Tuvok added, "my thoughts exactly."

Seven remarked, "resistance to free will…is futile." Then, with help from the Federation shuttles' phasers, Chakotay, Seven, and Tuvok blasted the Borg cube's defenses to non-regenerating shards.

Chakotay sighed, "we did it." Suddenly, shockwaves of dark red energy waves came towards them…surrounding them from all directions. The nearby Borg cube exploded. But, just as quickly as it happened, it stopped. The shuttles also disappeared from sight.

Tuvok concluded, "it seems that the mental attacks have failed to take down the crew." Soon after, they were beamed away from the dark red gas from within the Matrix…back to Voyager. As they were being beamed back, their blue energy auras were fading away.


	5. Part 5: The Spirit

Afterthoughts: A Deep Space Nine/Voyager Crossover

Part 5:

Explosion after explosion echoed in the Matrix, with Borg cubes that were firing on each other in madness exploding into pieces. Only two Borg cubes remained, which were badly hit and retreating out of the anomaly they came through.

Back on Voyager…

Some of the crewmembers got back up with phasers at hand, shaken from the experience with the Borg. Most of the Borg drones though were beaming back to their remaining ships instead of continuing to fight Voyager's crew. Aflame conduits and holes in the walls remained. One of the crewmembers quickly used the environmental controls to put out the fires by putting more moisture into Voyager's air. Some returned to the transporter rooms.

In Engineering…

The fires were slowly being put out by the incoming moist air. Blown conduits remained, but the coolant leak and the cloud of coolant turning into gas had disappeared. So had some of Beta Squad, and some of the engineers. Kellin, a shaking B'Elanna, Janeway, Tom, and Kim were still in Engineering. Kellin urged, "she needs medical attention!" Tom, Kim, and Janeway turned to B'Elanna's shaking body.

Tom uneasily realized, "B'Elanna. Doctor, two to beam…"

Janeway ordered, "belay that order. Tom, I know you care about B'Elanna…but we need you on the bridge."

Tom responded, "one to beam directly to Sick Bay." B'Elanna was beamed away from Engineering.

One of the crewmembers reported over a combadge, "captain…Tuvok, Chakotay, and Seven are floating in the Matrix."

Janeway said, "beam them directly to Sick Bay."

The random crewmember responded, "yes, captain."

Kellin figured, "I'll double check this deck for Borg."

Janeway added, "thank you, but I have a feeling they'll already be enough crewmembers to check on that."

Kellin reasoned, "then in that case, I'll go check on Chakotay…unless you have any orders to the contrary."

Janeway chuckled a little, "you'll get none from me."

Kellin responded, "thanks." She headed to Sick Bay soon after.

Janeway said, "I don't think the turbolifts are going to work. Three to beam back to the bridge." Soon after, Kim, Janeway, and Tom were beamed back to the bridge.

Meanwhile, in white nothingness…

The being that looked like Sarah concluded, "the Matrix…is closing."

Sisko realized, "the Joining…succeeded?"

The being that looked like Sarah added, "the Celestial Temple…has opened its doors again for new prophets."

Sisko asked, "and…Voyager?"

The being that looked like Sarah concluded, "they travel on through many doors. You have done well, Emissary."

Sisko concluded, "I'll make sure of that."

On the bridge…

Kim was back at Ops. Tom and Janeway were back in their seats. There were some blown out conduits, but the viewscreen and computer were barely online. Suddenly, the bridge rocked again. More explosions followed. Sisko's voice in Janeway's head revealed, "the prophets are closing the Matrix…and the Matrix is fighting back! If you want to save your crew, get out of range."

Janeway thought back, "I don't plan on staying here either…whoever you are." She asked, "what's happening?"

Sisko's voice responded in Janeway's head, "My name is Benjamin Sisko. I was a Starfleet captain."

Kim reported, "sensors are offline! A shockwave just took them out."

Janeway wondered, "do you know how we can get out of here?"

Kim concluded, "we were pushed towards the anomaly, so..." He shortly after gave Tom some coordinates.

Janeway thought, "well Sisko, you're a long way from home. Since you're non-corporeal though, think you can take us home?"

Sisko thought back, "don't worry about that, captain. We'll both return home…it's just a question of when."

Janeway figured in her head, "I sure hope you're right…Sisko." She ordered, "Tom, get us out of here."

Tom concluded, "yes, ma'am."

In space…

Voyager flew back through the anomaly that took the crew into the Matrix, as the anomaly disappeared in a flash of bright white light.

Back on Voyager's bridge…

Tom reported, "I don't hear anymore rocking."

Kim sighed with relief.

Janeway concluded, "then let's get those sensors back up."

Fifteen minutes later, in Sick Bay…

B'Elanna and several crewmembers were getting up from beds. Thoron pulses had awakened them. The EMH doctor and Tom had checked on them. Tom figured, "looking good, doc. No causalities here."

The doctor figured, "well, we've been out in the Delta Quadrant for almost four years. The crew has survived worse."

Tom suggested, "like the Hirogen?"

The doctor muttered, "don't remind me."

Fifteen minutes later, in Tuvok's quarters…

Tuvok was meditating, when a beeping came from his door. Tuvok responded, "enter." Janeway came into Tuvok's quarters.

Janeway figured, "am I disturbing you?"

Tuvok concluded, "no…but I have been thinking."

Janeway wondered, "what's on your mind, Tuvok?"

Tuvok revealed, "when I was mentally attacked by the Matrix, I was faced with a difficult situation: To let Voyager be destroyed, or to let Voyager's shuttles be destroyed. I would have decided to let Voyager be destroyed to save the rest of the crew…but I was in error because it was a mental attack by the Matrix." Janeway sat down on a chair next to him.

Janeway assured Tuvok, "but these…prophets saved you from making that decision."

Tuvok concluded, "yes. They gave me, in essence, a Katra of great power…and I chose to act on it."

Janeway pointed out, "the situation presented to you was a hard decision. I would've tried to avoid making it all together…if I were in your position."

Tuvok figured, "then you understand my logic."

Janeway assured him, "I do. I'll understand if you want to be left alone."

Tuvok concluded, "thank you…captain." And with that, Janeway left Tuvok alone to let him continue meditating.

A few hours later, in Tom's quarters…

The door to Tom's quarters beeped. Tom had prepared dinner, with help from a replicator. He was sitting at a table in his quarters. Tom said, "enter." B'Elanna in a black dress came in.

She said, "smells delicious." B'Elanna sat down at the same table.

Tom figured, "so, what happened to you back there?"

B'Elanna asked, "excuse me?"

Tom went on, "you were mentally attacked. You sure you…?"

B'Elanna insisted, "I'm sure, ok?"

Tom sighed, "ok. I understand that it was stressful for you…but if you can't find a way to deal with it, it could someday come back to hurt you."

B'Elanna sighed, "I'm sorry, Tom. It's just been…"

Tom figured, "…stressful. If it helps, I wasn't sure if we were going to make it out alive."

B'Elanna concluded, "thanks."

Tom added, "anytime."

B'Elanna wondered, "has the wine…?"

Tom answered, "it still needs to breathe a little."

B'Elanna concluded, "oh."

Meanwhile, in Chakotay's quarters…

Chakotay was with Kellin. Both were sitting at a table across from each other, with a vegetarian dinner in front of them. Kellin sighed.

Chakotay wondered, "what's wrong?"

Kellin added, "it's not you…it's just… I still miss Ramura."

Chakotay sighed, "I still miss my father."

Kellin wondered, "what happened?"

Chakotay concluded, "he was killed…defending our tribe from Cardassians."

Kellin realized, "I'm sorry. Were you…?" She put a hand on one of Chakotay's hands.

Chakotay assured her, "I wasn't mentally hurt by the mental attack. But, if I had been there…my father might still be alive."

Kellin revealed, "I know how you feel. My mother lost her memories to the Ramuran government…and she decided to leave my father. I was young at the time, but now I know."

Chakotay started to ask, "did the mental attack…?"

Kellin revealed, "not directly, but it did remind me of Ramura."

Chakotay wondered, "speaking of Ramura…why did you want to become a Tracer?"

Kellin revealed uneasily, "they…threatened to erase memories from me and my father if I didn't become a Tracer. We had taken a family vacation on another world…and we were both seen as criminals. I felt I had no choice. And overtime, it became…second nature."

Chakotay realized, "until you found me."

Kellin added, "until I found you. I'll always be grateful for giving my people a chance…for giving me a second chance."

Chakotay added, "but you still miss Ramura?"

Kellin sighed, "yeah. I don't even know how the resistance is going to go…because I won't be there to see it."

Chakotay concluded, "then see it as a victory. Right now…the Ramuran government is vulnerable."

Kellin chuckled softly, "you're right. It should work. There's still one thing that's been on my mind though."

Chakotay wondered, "what is it?"

Kellin suggested, "if I wanted there to be a resistance so I could have my friends and family happy…why didn't I go back?"

Chakotay sighed, "the captain did tell you where we're going."

Kellin figured, "maybe it's because I was chasing Resket for almost a year. By the time I got home, my friends and family had either mostly moved on or weren't anywhere to be seen. The home I knew…was gone."

Chakotay said, "I'm sorry." Kellin then noticed that her hand was still on his. She moved it back.

Kellin concluded, "it's ok. I've learned to live with it…like you have with what happened to your father."

Chakotay wondered, "do you want to be left alone?"

Kellin chuckled softly, "that's very considerate of you, but you should know by now that things feel better to me when you're around."

Chakotay figured, "then let's eat." And with that, they started eating silently in each other's company.

**The End…Or The Start of Spin Off Fanfiction?**

**Please Feel Free To Comment On Or Continue This Storyline**


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